


Paper Planes of War

by toomuchdiscourse (orphan_account)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Childhood, Gen, M/M, Modern Era, Neighbors, Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-03-10
Packaged: 2018-10-02 08:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10213673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/toomuchdiscourse
Summary: Jamilton for the prompt: 11. Growing up together and sending paper airplanes to the other person’s window each nightIt started with the phrase "Shut up!" and only got better from there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first Jamilton I wrote (second to post though, since I wrote the first half of this earlier and finished a bit later). I still ship JeffMads more, but this fic proved to me that Jamilton can be fun and sweet too.

The first time it happened, Alex was talking too loud again. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't at least partially because his asshole of a neighbour, Thomas, was trying to do homework. 

Alex really hated that guy. Right from the first day he moved in with the Washingtons and went to greet the “just a little older than you and a little shy, but I'm sure you'd get along” kid next door. He'd had his hopes of friendship rebutted with a wrinkled nose at Alex's missing baby tooth and the dirt under his fingernails; replaced with an eternal rivalry after the haughty sniff and the door slammed in Alex's face. 

By some unfortunate arrangement, their bedrooms, both on their houses respective second floors, faced each other. Only a few meters of open air separated one window from another. Alex wasted no time getting into the habit of always peeking at Thomas' room before doing anything else. Which was why Thomas scratching a pencil against his head and pulling at his own bushy hair while huddled over the day's homework was the perfect time to make a phone call. It was an even more perfect time to make a phone call to his friend Hercules to ask him if he needed any help with today's work, because the math was just so easy and obvious to him, and wouldn't it be a shame if someone was left having trouble with it?

Alex should have expected some kind of retaliation. In fact, he did expect one. He just didn't expect it in the form of a perfectly crafted paper airplane bouncing off the floor of his room with a sudden noise that made him jump. 

Alex shot out a hasty goodbye and hung up. He glared out his window at the only possible perpetrator. Thomas was out of sight from his vantage point. Either he'd run off or hidden after throwing the plane. Alex wasn't impressed. 

He snatched the paper plane, fully intending to send it flying straight back where it came. He'd teach that asshole not to throw trash through his window! But, hidden under the fold of lined school paper was a thick pencil stroke. If there was one thing Alex was weak to, it was curiosity. Well, that and proving people wrong, if Alex was being honest. He unfolded the plane. In giant letters that took up the whole page were two words.

“Shut Up!” 

Alex wrinkled his nose. He'd shut up, alright- and give Thomas a taste of his own medicine. Alex reached into his school binder for a blank paper.

\--

After that day, the floodgates Alex hadn't even known about were opened. Naturally, Thomas could never leave well enough alone and had to send a paper plane back the next day. Alex had no choice but to respond every time.

It started with base insults. The kinds of things Alex would shout to Thomas any day. Generally, when he tried to start a shouting match through the window, Thomas would simply close his and ignore the fight completely. The paper planes, however, were always read, and always returned, even if not right away. It was a form of power Alex didn't always have in verbal conversations.

“nice job arguing with the teacher today, idiot”

“nice job being a teachers pet”

Slowly, over the months and without Alex even realizing, the insults morphed into actual advice. There was plenty of space on a standard sheet of paper, and Alex loved writing as much as he loved proving himself. Thomas wasn't far behind, despite his superior attitude.

“I can't believe you didn't know the answer to today's history question. Read the handouts, maybe.”

“You act like large multiplication is impossible. It's just like single digit, but longer.”

“How did it feel coming in second to Aaron in the spelling bee? Acquaintance is spelled with an 'a', not an 'e'.”

Nothing changed on the surface, the paper planes like their own little world. Alex sent and received them daily; for months, then into the next year, and then into the next. 

“Son, can I speak with you for a moment?” George asked one day, trying to hide a smile behind his hand.

Alex shot his adoptive father a suspicious look. “Okay...”

“Alright, son, I just want you to know that Martha and I both support and love you, okay? No matter who you have a crush on.” 

Alex jumped at the words, his mind somehow flashing to a bushy head of hair and sharp, biting, intelligent words. “Wh-what are you talking about!? I don't have a crush!”

George's smile widened. He looked like he was trying not to laugh. “Of course, son. Though, you might want to work on your aim. Those paper planes that miss do have to land somewhere, and your mother and I have gotten tired of plucking them out of the side-yard hedges. 

Alex flushed cherry red. George clapped him on the back-shoulder and walked away with a laugh. 

The thing was, Alex hadn't considered the idea at all. Thomas was... Thomas. An infuriating know-it-all who lived to argue with him. But he wasn't just that anymore, not since their paper plane letters had somehow turned to actual conversations. Thomas shit talked Mr. Lee when he gave Alex detention over nothing. Alex shit talked Mr. Adams when he lost his temper and swore at Thomas in front of the whole school. In a weird way, they supported each other in ways Alex's actual friendships didn't.

A plane skidded across Alex's floor, and he jumped from his thoughts. It was just an innocent piece of paper. An innocent piece of paper that represented years of exchanges with someone who was his mortal enemy, his kind-of friend, and now, apparently, his crush. Alex unfolded the paper.

“I'm bored, entertain me! >:^(“ 

Alex snorted loudly, glancing out the window. Thomas stared back, raising a brow pointedly. He'd come a long way from hiding every time he sent a letter. Alex considered what to say, and then got out his pencil.

“Let's go see a movie, then. Lego Batman is still showing at 6” 

Alex liked to take chances, because most of the time, that was the only way Alex could ever get what he wanted. This was no different. He sneaked a quick peek- Thomas was staring at the open paper and his ears were red. Alex grinned.

This was uncharted territory, but Alex was used to uncharted territory. He could manage one date.


End file.
